Dandelions
by Dirt Road Darlin
Summary: Marie tells Logan a story that hits home.


Fanfic: Xmen - Dandelions (Wolverine/Rogue) - Complete

Angst, Complete, Fanfic, Fic, Friendship, Logan, Love, Marie, Multi-Chapter, Rogan, Rogue, Tattoo, Wolverine, Xmen

Rating: T (Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes).

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**SUMMARY:**  
Marie tells Logan a story that hits home.

**STORY NOTES:**  
Originally written on Feb 11, 2011.

The Dandelion story is something that I heard when I was younger. I couldn't find the exact story so I kind of improvised.

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Inner thoughts are in _italics_.

**DISCLAIMER:**  
This fanfic has been written purely for entertainment value, with no money being made from this work. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners with no copyright infringement intended. The original characters/places/plot/etc. are the sole property of the author. Thank you.

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… **DANDELIONS …**

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Marie sat quietly on the old plaid blanket, eyes closed, a gentle breeze sweeping across her body. Her mind was a million miles away in that moment and Logan wondered what had her so preoccupied.

"Penny for your thoughts," he whispered close to her ear, making her skin tingle at his closeness.

"Do ya think they'll make it?" she asked sadly.

Unsure of her question, Logan simply asked, "What?"

"The stars," she whispered, pointing to the nearby dandelions that were in various stages of their life. Some were still a vibrant yellow, while others had already turned into fluffy balls of white.

"Stars?" Logan asked, while showing off that infamous cocked eyebrow. "Darlin', those are weeds, not stars."

She honestly seemed hurt by his term "weeds", unable to stop her body from flinching at the word.

"Ya never heard the story?" she asked, with curiosity, as she let her fingers brush across one of the flowers.

"Nope," he half-grumbled as he slid his body down onto the blanket, hands going behind his head. He stared at her then as if giving her some silent plea to explain. Marie, ever the people-pleaser, obliged.

"They're supposed to be stars," she told him, still staring at the little flower. "I don't remember where I read it. Or maybe someone told me when I was a little girl? I'm not really sure."

Letting her body fall into place beside his, Marie smiled when Logan offered up an arm for her to use as a pillow.

"The Sun and Moon were lovers," she began as she tried to get comfortable. "Their children were the stars."

"Really?"

"Really," she repeated. "Supposedly, some of the stars would get restless and would want to fall to Earth to spend their days with the Sun instead of always bein' with the Moon at night. Eventually, they would fall. Some would be happy with the decision, enjoyin' their place amongst the grass, feelin' their father's warmth upon them. Others..." Marie trailed off for a moment, a sadness filling her body to the point that Logan could feel it coming off her like waves. "Well, others longed to return to the night skies, to once again be with their mama, high above the Earth. But, there was no way to return. The stars were doomed to a life here because they hadn't realized where their home truly was."

"Hmmm…" was the only response Marie received from Logan, though she knew that he was still listening, taking in her story.

"The star-flowers begged and pleaded with the Sun and Moon to help them return to the sky, but neither parent could figure out a way to help them. It was too late. But the Wind, who'd been watchin' all this take place, decided to help. Once the flowers went to seed and were light enough, she would scoop the stars from their stems, and let them ride on her breeze in an effort to return them to the sky. It was their last chance to be where they finally knew they belonged."

Marie plucked a fluffy flower and brought it with her as she rose from the blanket. She stared down, with a slight grin, at Logan who was getting to his feet as well. "That's why you're supposed to make a wish and blow," she told him. "You grant their wish and they'll grant yours."

With that, Marie drew in a large breath and then exhaled, watching with delight as the dandelion broke into pieces and began to float through the air.

Logan watched in awe. First, at the small sight that had made his wife so happy. Second, at the wonderful woman who stood in front of him. How could he not? Marie had the most loving heart of anyone he'd ever known; even to the point that she cared about a silly old weed…

_"Flower,"_ he mentally corrected himself.

"Hey," he whispered, watching as Marie finally turned to face him… big, brown eyes shining up at him. "I love you," he told her simply.

Marie smiled that smile that made his heart melt. "I know," she told him with a grin, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," he mumbled into her hair. "You get the blanket and I'll bring the rest."

"Okay," she told him before gathering up the worn square of fabric and tucking it under her arm. "I'll meet ya in the truck."

"Right behind ya," Logan told her, watching then as she turned and headed back down the hill that they had climbed just a few hours earlier. "She's gonna be the death of me," he said with a laugh as he bent down to gather up the picnic basket.

That's when noticed it… one little dandelion. The poor thing's stem was almost broken in half and the flower, once a vibrant yellow, was now nothing but a ball of fluff.

"It's almost the end of the line for you, fella," Logan assessed as he stared at the small flower, suddenly wondering why in God's name was he talking to a plant. But, he knew why. It was because of a woman with haunting brown eyes and a kind soul. It was because of his Marie.

Glancing quickly over his shoulder, Logan made sure that Marie wasn't watching him before he turned his attention back to the dandelion. Gently, he plucked the flower from the ground and held it between his fingers, inspecting the thing as if he had never really noticed one before.

"Aww hell," he growled with a shrug of his shoulders. "Why not?"

Before he could talk himself out of it, Logan let out a large breath of air against the small dandelion in his hand. With a slight smile, he watched as a gust of wind lifted the white seeds higher and higher into the sky.

"Good luck," he whispered.

_"After all,"_ he thought. _"Who am I to deny somethin' a chance to find its home?"_

Once, he had been as lost as those damn dandelions. Lucky for him, he eventually came to his senses and realized just where it was that he belonged… with Marie. She had been his home all along; he'd just been to blind to see it. But how heartbroken would he have been if someone had told him he was too late? That his chance was gone?

Logan shook the thought from his mind, the idea of a life without Marie too horrible to even think about. They were together and they were happy… just the way it was supposed to be.

Finally deciding he'd had enough "deep thoughts" for one day, Logan scooped up the picnic basket and headed toward his truck and his woman, a slight smile of contentment plastered to his face.

When he finally reached the truck, he dropped the basket into the back before taking his place in the driver's seat.

"You okay, sugar?" Marie questioned, a look of worry on her face.

"Yeah darlin'," he told her, looping a strand of hair through his fingers and smiling. "Couldn't be better."

After taking a good, long look and getting a cocked eyebrow that rivaled his own, Logan laughed and loosened his hold. Plucking a cigar from his pocket and lighting it, he gave Marie one last mischievous grin before starting the engine and turning toward the road.

"Let's go home."

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… **THE END …**

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